This invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically removing stoppers from test tubes.
In many fields, it is necessary to use test tubes having caps or stoppers. Such usage implies that at some point in time, it may be desirable to remove the stopper. When large numbers of test tubes are used, such stopper removal can require an excessive amount of time. In addition, in the medical and blood testing fields, when dangerous materials are being handled, the removal of such stoppers poses no little danger to the operator or lab technician who in most instances must remove such stoppers manually. Manual stopper removal can result in dropping or spraying minute droplets of the tube contents onto the lab technician. This presents a particular problem particularly if the contents of the tubes are infectious or pathogenic.
Some little improvement over individually removing the stoppers from each tube is offered in the teachings of U.S. Pat. 3,649,464 issued Mar. 14, 1972, to Freeman. This patent teaches the use of multiple stoppers being attached to a lifting tab. While this speeds up operations, the danger to the technician remains.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a relatively simple method and apparatus that is capable of quickly and safely removing the stoppers from test tubes while reducing any danger to the operating personnel.